The Trouble with Double-Parking
by 911weasleytwins
Summary: A mysterious man blasts music at three in the morning. Can anything good come from double-parking? Lily Evans is about to find out. Muggle AU. Jily. Three-shot.
1. Heart of Glass

**Hi, thanks for checking out my story! I love feedback, if you would be able to offer any, I'd be really grateful. Please enjoy!**

It was cold when Lily woke up.

At first, she thought that was why she had awakened. Her flat was an icebox in the winter months. But as padded across the room to get another blanket, she caught the first- and very loud- strains of Blondie's _Heart of Glass_.

 _Who the devil is blasting that rubbish at this time of night?_ Lily thought, preparing to open her window to assault the offending clubgoer with an impressive range of expletives.

As she looked out the window or her flat, Lily felt her blood boil. Next to her little, beat up red roadster, a very flashy blue 1974 Jaguar was double-parked.

Leaning from the window, she hollered in the general direction of the affronting car. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?"

A man stepped out of the car. "I'm parking, princess, what do you think I'm doing?"

"Some of us have to go to work in the morning, and can't wait for hungover idiots like you to move their double-parked car!"

"Sounds like a you problem, Ginge!" He sauntered off to an apartment building across the street.

"You're an animal!" she yelled at his retreating form.

"My pleasure, Your Highness!"

Lily closed her window, seething. She sincerely hoped for the insolent man's sake that the car was moved by morning.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

When Lily left her apartment the next morning, still bleary-eyed from a lack of sleep, she found that the offending car had been moved. Attached to the windshield of her roadster was a note. Lily picked it up, and read:

 _This is a one-time only deal, Princess. Don't get used to it._

Lily turned the radio all the way up, hoping that the loud music would hurt his possibly hungover head. _I get no sleep, neither does your bratty behind._ She slammed on the gas, and continued on to work in a stormy mood.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lily slammed her bag on the counter. "Men are disgusting."

Marlene sighed. "This again? I thought we were over the 'men are animals' phase. Yes, what Snivellus did was very, very wrong. But you two weren't even dating. You weren't even interested in dating him. Isn't it a bit unfair to judge the entire male species by the fact that one guy insulted your lineage?"

Mary MacDonald came in from the back. "Agh-Lily- did you even brush your hair today? We still have ten minutes until the shop opens- sit down on this stool, I'm going to braid that bird's nest."

Lily did as Mary requested. "See, Mar? This is what I'm talking about. This," she said, gesturing to herself, "this is the fault of men."

Mary gasped, swiveling Lily's chair around to face her. "Lily, are you finally seeing someone? It's about time! Snivellus was ages ago, and everyone Mar and I have tried to set you up with have gotten the full ice queen treatment. Was it Benjy Fenwick? I thought I sensed a bit of a connection between you two-"

"Mary," Lily said in exasperation, "I was not with a guy last night. At least not in the way you're thinking of."

"Then why on earth did you come into our lovely bookstore looking like the cat dragged you in?" Marlene asked.

Lily related the tale of the night before.

"-and then this morning, I found a note on my windshield making it sound like I should be grateful for him moving his stupid, showy, rich-boy car!"

"What did this fellow look like?" Mary asked thoughtfully. "Maybe something could come out of this."

"I- I don't know. It was dark. I could only see that he was tall and his grin was one of a real moron. Once again, men are repugnant, and I hope I never have to see one again in my life."

The bell on the shop door rang, and Caradoc Dearborn entered, leering at Lily as he approached the desk.

"Hey, Mary, don't we have that thing to finish?" Marlene said suddenly.

Lily began to beg. "No, no please don't leave me with Caradoc, he's such a braggart, I really can't stand him, it's not an excuse this time, I promise-"

"Why, yes we do!" Mary replied, grinning widely, walking towards the back of the shop, Marlene trailing close behind, leaving Lily both fuming and alone with Caradoc Dearborn.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lily was woken again the next night with a loud chorus of Gloria Gaynor's _I Will Survive_. _Honestly,_ Lily thought sluggishly, _if you're going to blast music at three in the morning, at least play something that isn't complete rubbish._

She blinked the sleep out of her eyes. _Blasting music… three a.m… bloody hell, not again._

Leaping out of bed and back to the window, Lily found the same blue car double-parked against her roadster, but this time, the same tall man with the same insolent grin was leaning against his car, smirking up at her.

"Oi!" she shouted down. "Some people are trying to sleep up here, you prick!"

"I'm sure!" he said, just barely controlling the laugh in his voice.

Lily decided that approach wasn't going to work with him. "Did it ever cross your smug little mind that you might be interrupting something?"

"Wearing that? I hardly think so, princess!"

Lily looked down at her ratty flannel pyjamas and inwardly scolded herself. _Of course you don't look like something's going on right now. New tactic._ "I don't appreciate your tone of voice, sir! I have a boyfriend, and all sorts of things go on up here!" Was it her imagination, or did his grin just falter?

"Oh yeah? Prove it. Tomorrow night. Bring your bloke, Your Highness. I'll believe it when I see it. You have company, and I'll leave you alone."

"Deal," Lily said, without fully processing what she had agreed to.

"See you then, Ginge," he said, swaggering off towards his building.

Lily closed her window, and the reality of what she had just agreed to set in. _What have I done? I have no boyfriend. I'm going to be stuck with this annoying twat forever!_

Lily didn't sleep that night either.


	2. Heart of Steel

**Hello again! I was pleased to see that a number of you followed my story! But not many of you reviewed… I get it. You're in a rush, or you just want to read, or you're tired of people. That's me. All the time. But it really lifts my day to just hear a "nice story" or a "really cute". So if you have time to just drop me a line, even if it's just a couple of words, I'd be really grateful. But if you're not comfortable with that, that's okay too. But I'm rambling. I hope you enjoy the second installment of The Trouble with Double-Parking!**

When Lily left her building the next morning, the blue car was still double-parked beside her. Another note stood against on the windshield.

 _Told you it was a one-time thing. I look forward to our meeting tonight._

Lily's insides boiled. How dare he! She had a job to get to, and just because he could spend his nights out and sleep his mornings away didn't mean others had to wait for him to shake off his drunken stupor.

 _Stupid rich boys,_ Lily thought. _Hmmm….. rich boys…._

The blue paint of the car winked invitingly. Lily searched for her keys in her purse.

A battle raged in her mind. _You're a nice girl! This is wrong! This is exactly what the nuns said NOT to do back in Ireland!_

 _He's an ass! He totally deserves it, what with his double parking and his smug grin and his assuming perfectly decent looking people don't have boyfriends!_

Lily clutched her keys. _Do it._

 _Don't do it._

She walked up to the car and made a long scratch along the driver's side door.

 _How do you like that now, you-_

Someone cleared their throat behind her. Lily closed her eyes and slowly turned around.

 _Damn it, I'm sorry, that was wrong, I'll go to confession this Wednesday, please don't let this be him-_

She opened her eyes. A tall, lanky, messy-haired man about her age stood in front of her.

 _Wow._ Lily was silent. The man was taller than her by a head at least, and Lily longed to reach out and straighten the glasses that sat crookedly on the bridge of his nose.

 _What?! This is the enemy! Do not like the enemy, do not become attracted to the enemy, to don't become distracted by the enemy, do not appreciate his jawline, do not- dammit- agh-_

He spoke first. "Well, I knew you were spunky, but not this spunky." A crooked grin broke onto his face. "I look forward to seeing you tonight, expect me around- four? After you lose, we'll discuss payment. I'm thinking—oh, double parking rights for the rest of your existence? Yes? Well, sorry to leave, but I have a job to get to, and I believe you do as well. So, cheerio!"

"You- you-" Lily tried to speak, but the man had already sped away.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lily sped into the bookstore. "Marlene? Marlene, where are you?"

The young blonde woman popped up from behind the counter, a smudge of dirt on her nose and a dustpan in hand. "Yes, Lily, what can I do for you?"

"Mar, I'd like you to set me up with a guy."

Mary sped out of the back room, a teetering pile of books in hand. "Did I hear that right? The great Lily Evans wants her friends to find her a date? Marlene, dear, you have a smudge of dirt on your nose- just there- now, I told you that flat of yours would get lonely sooner or later, now what type of bloke are you looking for?"

Marlene responded quickly. "Lily, I have just the person for you. You know how I'm dating Sirius, right? Well, he has a remarkably handsome and funny friend that I think you would really like. When would you like to meet him?"

"Tonight, if possible. I'm in a bit of a fix…" Lily explained the situation to Mary and Marlene. "I don't want to hurt this bloke's feelings, is there any way you could tell him why I'm asking for a blind date?"

"Sure, honey. This sort of thing would crack James up. He'll play the part for you, all right… your mysterious pop fan will never again plague your midnight slumbers. I'll come along with Sirius for moral support, it can be a sort of double date."

"Thanks a million, Mar. You're a life saver."

"Well, I don't really like dealing with a grumpy, sleep-deprived Lily in the morning, so…" she laughed, kissing Lily's cheek. "Who knows, you might even like James."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lily pulled at the hem of the short green dress she was wearing. "Mar, are you sure it's not too much? I mean, it's November, shouldn't I be wearing a jacket or something?"

"Sugar, we want to shock and astound the nefarious night-rider, yes? He noticed your old pyjamas, he's not going to buy the boyfriend deal if you're going out dressed like an abbess."

Lily looked around. "When are they meeting us here?"

"Any minute, dear, don't look so nervous, he's going to adore you- hey, there they are!"

Marlene's chap, Sirius, entered the pub first. Handsome, in a sort of careless bad-boy way, he was the perfect match for Marlene. He pulled her into a one-armed side hug, pressing a kiss to her lips. "You must be Lily!" he said, grinning cockily. "I've heard loads about you, it's nice to finally meet!" He stuck out a hand to shake, but it was left dangling in the air, for Lily was temporarily preoccupied. Walking towards their table, looking as shocked as she was, was the handsome man who had been torturing her for the past couple of nights.

He stopped incredibly close to her. She could reach out and run her hands through his wonderful, coconut-smelling hair, or she could- _no, snap out of it, Lily…_ "Princess," he whispered, his breath warm on her cheek.

"Night-rider," she breathed, still in shock.

He broke the silence with a delighted laugh. "Night-rider! I love it! I'd been toying with a few titles to sign notes with, but that one tops them all."

"It- it was Marlene…" Lily said faintly.

"Well, thank you, Marlene!" He turned around to shake her hand, and she stuck her arm out weakly, also astounded at the unexpected discovery.

Lily broke out of her confusion. "You've been torturing me nightly, and you have the nerve to act like we're on polite terms?!"

James laughed. "Well, given your treatment of my car this morning, I'd say we aren't but… couldn't you give me a chance? Just one chance?"

Lily turned away from him. "No, I don't think I can. This just isn't right. Come on, Mar, Sirius. There's a street fair a couple blocks away. Let's go." She walked out the pub door, leaving her two friends and one very forlorn-looking gentleman behind her.

Marlene slid behind James. "Hey, I'm going to make this quick, because Lily will come to find us if we don't take long. You're one of Sirius's friends, so come along with us to the street fair. She won't question it, she's really quite polite around most people.

"I think Lily actually likes you, she complains about you far too much for a person who is 'filled only with righteous rage'. I believe I speak for both Sirius and I when I say we're going to be leaving early," she said, eyeing her now exuberantly nodding boyfriend. "I don't think I need to tell you what to do. Now come on, you two."

The trio walked out the pub door and into the night.


	3. Heart of Gold

**Hi, guys! I figured I might as well post today, once again, I'd really love feedback! If you could drop me a short line on the reviews, telling me what you liked, and what you didn't like, I would be most appreciative. I've been playing around with an idea for a longer fic, also Marauders, and if you were interested in reading anything else I'd written, you can put me on author alert! I'm sad to see the end of this fic, but some things are better kept short. I might do a sequel, I've been encouraged by several lovely readers to do so. Thanks again for all your support, I really appreciate everything you guys have done. Cheers!**

Marlene yawned. "Wow, I sure am getting tired, Lil. Sirius and I might head back to the flat."

Lily gasped. "Marlene! We haven't even ridden any rides yet! All we've done is wait for Sirius to try to win you a teddy bear, and, let's face it, that was a lost cause from the start."

"I'm going home, Lily. I have a gentleman caller who is more than willing to snog me, and I am not going to give that up."

"Mar. You cannot leave me alone with this James character. I let it fly when Sirius brought him along, but we don't know anything about him, what if he's a dangerous ax murderer? What if he's like," she swallowed and lowered her voice, "what if he's like Sev?"

"What you're really saying, my dear, under layers and layers of twisted words, is, _what if I actually like him?_ You've been scared of getting emotionally attached since Snivellus called you-that- that awful name. I think it's time, Lil. He's not one of Sniv's lot... I trust him. And, if you weren't so scared, and hadn't met him in this unfortunate way, you would too."

"Mar-"

"One shot. That's all I'm asking for you to give him. One night. If you don't like him, you don't have to see him again. I won't try to set you up with anyone else. I won't bug you about being single, and I'll get Mary to lay off, too. Please, just give him this chance."

"…fine. He has one night, and he's lucky that I like you, or else I'd be going home this instant."

"Excellent. Do try to have a good time, dear." With that, Marlene linked her arm with Sirius's and left the park.

Lily turned around to find James standing behind her. "You have one chance."

"So I've heard."

"Pick one ride in the park."

"Is this a test?"

Lily didn't answer.

James thought for a moment. Then he took Lily's hand and began to lead her towards the back of the park.

"Hey! No one told you that touching is permitted! I did not authorize this!"

James laughed. "Calm down there, Ginge. I have no immoral intentions, I swear. Ah, here we are."

He stopped in front of a dilapidated carousel. "Straight from Cork." he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"How-how did you-"

"You still have an accent. I miss home, too. There's a tree I planted over in the park that came from my home in the Hollow. I sit by it when I'm lonely. Someday, it'll grow, and I'll have a big reminder of home. I thought you might want to remember, too."

Lily slowly circled the carousel. "It's just like the one my da used to take me on when I was younger." She locked eyes with James. "This was a test. And you passed."

James grinned. "Well, come on then, Princess. I was promised one night to get to know you. I want to make the most of it."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Why do you stay out so late?" Lily asked.

"One of my other friends, Remus, has a heart condition. My mates and I take shifts staying with him in case something happens. That was why I was out the first night. The second night, I was getting off the double shift, and I sort of wanted to bug you. You're cute when you're angry," he finished, blushing a little and smiling at Lily.

"You work? I thought you were, well…"

"Rich? My parents are. But I want to make my own way. I own a record shop on the East Side, the car's the last bit of somewhere I don't belong anymore.

"But you asked two questions, so I get a deep one. Who is Sev?"James asked.

Lily turned away from James. "Sev," she said quietly, "was my first friend when I moved to London. We shared a flat, we split everything, we were best mates. But then, he started hanging with a different crowd. You know, the immigrant-hating one?"

James's mouth dropped open. "Oh, Lily, I am so sorry. I shouldn't have asked, it wasn't my business…"

Lily smiled wryly. "It's alright. You didn't know. Anyway, we argued, and split, and I haven't trusted many people since.

"Well, I guess it's my turn now. Why don't you have a girlfriend? You could definitely get a date on your own, yet you're going on dates that your best mate has set up for you. Why?"

James grinned, and he walked beside her in silence for a minute. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and quiet. "I'm just tired of fake people. I grew up wealthy, and I was surrounded by people who liked me for my money, not for me. I was sent away to boarding school by my parents, and there, I met my three best friends, and they're three of the most real people I know. But there are still the superficial people. And I can't find anyone to care about who's real." He locked eyes with Lily. "I met Marlene when Sirius first started dating her. She is one of the most kind, funny, unsuperficial people I have ever met. And when I heard she had a friend who was looking for a date, I figured, she probably only is friends with good people. So accepted.

"But I half of me still was sort of yours. The spunky Irish girl who scratched my car and yelled at me twice from her flat window. She was real, too. That second night, I came home from the double-shift and parked outside of your window. I waited for ages for you to come, and when you did, I was happier than I've ever been. You just… you bring out the worst in me, it looks like. And the best, too. You're … intoxicating."

Lily shivered at his words, and the night air. "It's cold, and I should be heading home," Lily said. "It's not really wise for- for people like me to be out on the streets this late."

James scowled at this, but assented. "Okay…Lily." His mouth quirked upwards when he said her name.

Lily's heart beat faster. "Walk me home, Night-rider?"

"Actually, I have a better idea, Princess."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"A motorbike?" Lily asked upon seeing what James meant.

"This little beauty is my pride and joy," James said. "It's the first thing I bought after I opened the record shop. I bought it with money that was entirely my own. Not borrowed. Not given. I made it all." He took a deep breath. 'I'm looking to sell my blue car. It's not me. It's wrong. I'm going to sell it and send the money back to my parents."

"Oh no, I scratched your car, I'm so sorry, now you can't get as much money for it, can I reimburse you?"

James laughed. "No, certainly not. I got a laugh out of it, and I'm sure my parents will too when I tell them the story."

Lily looked over at James and smiled. His face was shining with happiness and pride.

"Your steed awaits, Your Highness."

Lily laughed. "What are we waiting for?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Look at that. Nearly four o' clock in the morning, just when I said I'd be here. What a coincidence." James said, smirking amusedly.

Lily smacked his arm. "You did that on purpose! I knew that shortcut wasn't actually a shortcut!"

James bowed. "At your service, milady. Sir James the Punctual."

Lily laughed and searched through her bag for her keys.

"So, who won?" James's voice cut through her search. "I mean, you quite clearly didn't have a boyfriend today, but it's barely before four and if you want one…" he spread his arms widely. "I'm right here."

Lily smiled. "Well, I might have to take you up on that offer, just so I don't have to lose."

James walked towards her, and she held her breath in anticipation. When their lips met, sparks seemed to fly. A shiver went up her spine, and she slipped her arms around his shoulders, and tangled her hands into his hair. His lips tasted like the funnel cake they had shared for dessert, and he smelled of coconut shampoo. He broke away far too soon.

"See you tomorrow, Ginge?" he said with a cocky smile.

She smiled and kissed him one last time. "I look forward to it."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning, she woke up happy and surprisingly well rested. She left her building and stopped short at what she saw. A shiny blue car with a scratch mark along the driver's side door was double-parked by the side of her little red roadster. Lily narrowed her eyes and muttered, "That bloody son of a-" She broke off when she saw a note on her windshield.

 _I had to have some excuse to see you, didn't I? I'll be down in five minutes, I swear._

 _-Night-rider_

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Her Royal Highness."

Lily turned around to find James leaning against the side of his car.

"Hello, Night-rider," she said, reaching out to straighten his glasses.

He smirked. "Fancy meeting you here. Ready for work?"

Lily smiled. "Oh, I was _born_ ready. You know where the little bookshop is on the east side?"

James smirked. "Of course. That's you and Marlene's place, isn't it?"

"Mary, too, but yeah. Race you there."

"Sure, love, but you can't get out very easily, as you can see," he said smugly, gesturing to his car. "Looks like I'm going to win. And I plan on winning another date with my best girl."

"What- you- that's unfair!" she stammered as he got in his car. "You're an animal!" she yelled in his window.

"My pleasure, Your Highness!" he said, then sped off down the road.

Shaking her head, but still grinning a little, she hopped in her car and began to chase after James, ready to face an exciting new world.


End file.
